Saturday, June 8, 2013

Not
many people know Yann Durieux – believe me that will change. I have posted
about him before in “The new Elvis” but as I have
just had the 2010 ”Les Grands Ponts” (again... two times in fact.... within the
last two weeks) I thought it was okay to post again (I couldn’t really resist
anyway)…blew my mind once again…ouch!!!...be warned – addictive wine!!!.

Had
the 2006 Instant No.1 rosé from Bérèche yesterday. It's so unbelievable good.
It’s the kind of rosé Champagne, which doesn’t make that much noise, but really
plays a very understated role with fragile and delicate dried red berries. The
best Champagne Raphaël Bérèche has ever made IMHO.

I
had the 2006 “L’Amateur” from David Léclapart this evening. Now this might be
old news, but it’s just perfect right now. It’s kind of ridiculous to talk
about an entry-level wine, because it’s so much more than an average Champagne.

I’ve
noticed something….David’s Champagnes become quite classic with cellaring.
“L’Amateur” ’06 have started to embrace some autolysis character, providing
some complex underlying drum and bass to the rhythm. Yet it’s still young in
terms of tallness and energy. Sure it can cellar – but why wait? I will finish
my case within the next year or so and will imagine every bottle to be as good
as this one.

Curiosity
in wine is very important to me. Even better is when you discover wines where
you can actually say; “I have never tasted anything like this before”. It’s
rare that it happens – and when it does it’s not necessarily positive. Right
now I am drinking a wine, where I can actually say those lines and in addition
it’s fuc***** crazy wine. The nose is filled with ripe late harvest apple
juice, pineapple, mango, wild yeast, touch of vanilla and orange blossom. It’s
one hell of a lively thing and the taste is very elastic and exotic too with
some spices on the finish line. Completely nuts man!!!!... As you can see the
label looks like something Spock from Star Trek designed…and from what I know
it’s a local grape called Zibibbo. Producer is Grabrio Bini and we are on the
Island of Pantelleria located 100 km south west of Sicily. Soil is of course
volcanic. Vines are +50 years old, biodynamic grown, picked and destemmed by
hand. It’s *orange wine (*skin contact or macerated if you wish) – long and
slow (don’t know how long) but vinified in clay amphora’s dating back to the
17th century. Unfiltered – no additions – no So2. WOW!!!

I
think I’ve found my summer white. The talented Arianna Occhipinti continues to
win my heart. Her red “Il Frappato” is easily my favourite Italian daily
drinking wine and this wine might not be the most complex breed, but it drinks
so well. The 2012 SP68 Bianco is made from Albanello & Zibibbo ((moscato
d'alessandria). Vinyard is located in 280m above Sea level and terroir is red
sand with chalk from sub- Apennine limestone. The wine sees 15 days of skin
contact and you would think it’s sensual tropical fruit aromas derives from
barriques, but it only spends 6 months in steel tanks and one year in bottle.
The wine is summer and sun - happy moments with elderflower, mango and
pineapple. Taste is very elastic, free and utterly juicy. Irresistible stuff.

Tonights
wine - I have tasted it two times already. 2011 "Les Damodes" from
Frederic Cossard. It's absolutely gorgeous. I hope to write something on the
blog on Cossard...if I have the time.

While
I process all the images from Terres et vins de Champagne – I can share some
brief impression of some of the other wines I remember having tasted. The wine
in the glass are: 2006 Voeutte et Sorbée “Saignée de Sorbée”

Champagnes:

2006
Voeutte et Sorbée “Saignée de Sorbée”

Not
good on opening with an almost aggressive iron, spicy, Campari attack and evn a
tannic finish. After half an hour it calms down and the notes sort of dries
out, becomes far more interesting – especially the spice section, revealing a
more salty expression. One on side, I find it to be an impressive Champagne
with quite a character and soil bite, but on my emotional frequency there is a
bit of a conflict.

2006
David Léclapart “L’Amateur”

Absolutely
beautiful. Maybe not as divine fruit driven as the ’08, but so well build and
structured. Drinking perfectly now.

2006
David Léclapart “L’Apôtre”

Somewhat
bombastic, but with enormous potential – wait.

2007
Jérôme Prévost “Fac-Simile rosé”

Really
surpriced me as I was expecting a far more aged and oxidized Champagne by now.
But it’s almost like it has firmed up. The ’07 are really elegant and light and
has this dried out herbal line, like verbena – which I really like. Really
nice.

NV
Selosse “VO”.

Three
times From three different disgorgements (2010, ’11 and one from ’08). I
preferred the ’10 disgorgement, which felt more focused. There are several TN
on this site on this

Champagne
and I always like it.

NV
Selosse “Rosé” (Disgorged in 2011)

Great
that Selosse have taken the dosage down to only 4 grams now. Takes away some of
the fatness, sweet pastry notes and makes this Rosé far more salty and firm.
Don’t get me wrong it’s still Selosse style, but carries the boldness far
better.

NV
Selosse “Aÿ La Côte Faron” – (’03 base)

Super
concentrated style and easy to guess “Selosse” (I guessed Contraste) with late
harvested honeyl, overripe peach, quince and burned caramel. Maybe a fraction
more spinal firmness was needed, but I would guess that’s the result of ’03
base.

Third
time I try this really interesting white wine, which could easily be a
candidate for my preferred spring/summer drink. I could best describe it as a
mixture of Rieslings fruitiness and high acidity, but it also takes onboard the
Traminer grape notes with ginger and licorice. There is an underlying base of
cool straw freshness and it’s a very linear wine.

2005
Didier Dagueneau “Silex”

Spectacular
racy wine and served with a Asian inspired raw tuna dish made by my good friend
Claus...miraculous match and seriously focused wine. Love it.

2011
Domaine des Miroirs (Jura) “Berceau 2011 / Chardonnay)

Really
clean and racy and mineral wise reminding me slightly of Alexandre Jouveaux –
just in a slimmer version. I will have to taste it again.

Reds

2009
Jean Foillard “Cote du Py”

I
have some issues with the ’09 in Beaujolais – it’s too hot, out of balance and
this bottle was really dissapointing.

2006
San Giusto a Rentennano “Percarlo”

Coming
on a bit too clumsy at first, with way too much burned oak, but with a couple
of hours of decanting it started to shine. It’s still what I would call a
modern Sangiovese, but so smooth, well balanced and still Italian with lovely
notes of leather. Tasted without food, but I’ll bet it would have been even
better with food.

2011
Domaine des Miroirs (Jura) “Ja-Nai 2011 / Poulsard”

The
color is just outrageous on this one – so light red, almost transparent. The
visual treat are in synch with a beautiful and weightless wine (very low alc),
combining red fruits, rhubarb and notes of wet autumn leaves. Loved it.

2010
Ganevat “Cuvée Julien”

I
love this wine – so brilliant.

1989
Pichon-Baron

Tasted
with good friends. Really fun to have a journey back in “wine-time”…and I can
only say read my “Varible no. 32B” on the blog….the wine in itself, analyzes
solely from a hard core point of view was really not that great. Dry, square
and lifeless.

2006
SQN “Raven”

You
can smell and do a few “ooohhhss and ahhhsss” and find it simply fascinating
that wine can also be like this. You can even conclude that SQN is not only
high-octane wine…some around the table called it “cool tempered” and although
that’s taking it a bit far for my palate, I know what they mean. But! – you
can’t drink it…or I couldn’t. There is nothing here making me come back for
more – the density is still too violent.

Have
recently tasted both ’05 and ’06 Blanc d’Argile – two very different
Champagnes.

The
’05 have begun to develop traditional autolysis notes with deeper walnut and
nutty flavours. Yet this troublesome (typical ’05) rotten potato note is also
present. The oak profile is also quit dominant.

The
’06 are a different story. Quite bombastic opening – really intense with raw
structure. Evolved beautiful in the glass and the last third revealed a
ravishing soil intensity and purity. From ’06 is seems like the oak is far
better balanced and only a secondary chord and not the whole orchestra.

Weekend
wines…

2009
Demarne-Frison “Lalore” Brut Nature

A
Champagne filled with citrus and flowery components. Feels too young at this
stage, but has a very fresh and pure profile. The last glass was by far the
best.

2008
Bérèche “Rive Gauche” Extra Brut (3 g/l dosage)

Incredible
refined Pinot Meunier with enormous acidity bite. Really sophisticated freshness,
yet with a deeper and darker fruit baseline. Can easily be enjoyed now, but a
couple of years in the bottle should bring these darker phrasings into an even
more refined level.

2004
David Léclapart “L’Apotre”

Scary
intensity and incredible raw Champagne without any fuzz whatsoever. Doesn’t
feel closed, nor does it feel really open – but somewhere in-between. I would
give it some more time, simply to balance its bombastic footprint. It has
everything it takes to age another 15-20 years.

2010
Domaine Dublére “Volnay Les Pitures”

Incredible
sexy and smooth Pinot Noir. Ripe and juicy with an almost sweet liquorices
appeal. You can argue whether it’s a fraction too polished and oak dominant,
but selling at this reasonable price and drinking really well in good friends
company, I didn’t found much reason to complain.

2008
Philippe Pacalet “Chambolle Musigny”

Also
incredible charming wine, with classic Pinot tonality. It leans toward a more
polished style with a fair amount of oak influence. However I found additional
deeper layers and it’s simply so juicy and easy to drink.